Puzzle toy



(No Model.) 7

S. P. BALDWIN.-

PUZZLE TOY. No. 423,407. Patented Mar. 18-, 1890.

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trance to the fort.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL P. BALDIVIN, OF NEIVTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

PUZZLE TOY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 423,407, dated March 18, 1890.

Application filed May 21, 1889. Serial No. 811,600. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SAMUEL P. BALDWIN, of Newton, county of Middlesex, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Puzzle Toys, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention has for its object the production of a novel puzzle toy.

In accordance with myinvention a series of blocks, which may be of wood or of othcrsuitable material, are preferably made oblong in shape and arranged with their inner ends adjacent to each other to form a central space, which represents the center or interior of a fort. The blocks at their outer ends are made solid, as herein shown, with the exception of one, which is provided with a longitudinal opening or passage-way, by which to gain en- Each of the remaining blocks has its upper surface made inclined upward from its inner lower end, and each block at its rear end or highest point is provided with a cavity to receive a ball, which may be a marble or shot of any desired size. The blocks referred to are secured to or form part of the bottom of a suitable box or case, in which are located the balls or marbles.

The object of the puzzle is to get the balls in succession through the longitudinal passage or entrance of the fort and then get the said balls up the inclined sides of the blocks and into the cavities at their upper ends, so that when all the balls are in their proper places the fort may be supposed to be manned or guarded. The entrance-block may have erected upon it a flag or other suitable emblem.

My invention therefore consists in the combination, with a box or case, of a series of blocks located on the bottom thereof and arranged, substantially as will be described, to leave a central space and form a fort, one of the blocks being provided with a longitudinal passage constituting the entrance to the fort, and each of the other blocks having its upper face inclined and provided with a socket at its upper end to receive a ball, substantially as will be described.

Figure 1 is a top or plan View of a puzzle toy embodying my invention; Fig. 2, a transverse section of the toy shown in Fig. 1 on line 00 90; Figs. and 4, ferred to.

A represents a box, case, or receptacle, which may be of pasteboard or other usual or suitable material. The box A has secured to or forming part of its bottom a series of blocks (L at, having their inner ends brought together, so as to form a central space a which is closed at all points, except at one point, where the balls are admitted into the space 0?. Each block a (there being five herein shown) is made inclined from its inner end toward its rear, and at its upper end is provided with a cavity b to receive a ball I), which may be a marble or shot of any suitable size. The block a is provided with a longitudinal passage 5 which forms the entrance to the central space or fort a The blocks, when arranged as described, are supposed to represent a fort, the entrance to which is the passage b and it is the object of the puzzle to get the balls I) from the box A through the passage-way b and up the inclined side of each block a into the cavity b, and when all the balls have been placed in their cavities the fort may be supposed to be manned, and the puzzle is then completed.

To obtain a pleasing or striking effect, the block a will preferably have secured to it the staff 0 of a flag c.

To make the puzzle somewhat easier to accomplish, each block is provided at its lower end with side pieces or guards 0 which extend up, preferably, about one-third the length of the block to aid in guiding the ball up the inclined side of the block a, and the said inclined side will preferably be provided with a very shallow groove.

The box or case and the blocks a a may be made in one pieoe-as, for instance, the blocks may be struck up from sheet metal, and in this case the block a will be cut at its ends and provided with a bottom plate b (see Fig. 3) to form the longitudinal passage b The passage 12 is shown as covered for a portion of its length by the top of the block a; but it is evident that the said passage may be 1111- covered, and in this case the side walls of the passage may be made independent of each other, as shown in Fig. 4. T

I claim- 1. In a puzzle toy, the combination, with a modifications to be rebox or case, of a series of blocks a a,located on the bottom thereof and arranged with their inner ends substantially in contact to leave an inclosed central space a and form a fort, the block a being provided With alongitudinal passage constituting the entrance to the fort, and each block a having its upper face inclined upward from the central space and provided with a socket at its upper end to receive a ball, as Z), substantially as described.

2. In a puzzle toy, the combination, with a box or case, of a series of blocks a a, located on the bottom thereof and arranged with their inner ends substantially in contact to leave an inclosed central space a and form a fort, and guards at the sides of the blocks a, the block a being provided with a longitudinal passage constituting the entrance to the fort, and each block at having its upper face inclined upward from the central space and provided with a socket at its upper end to receive a ball, as 19', substantially as described.

In a puzzle toy, the combination, With a box or case, of a series of blocks arranged with their inner ends substantially in contact to leave an inclosed central space a and form a fort, one of the said blocks being formed, as described, to leave alongitudinal passage constituting the entrance to the fort, and each of the remainingblocks having its upper face i11- clined and provided with a socket to receive a ball, as 19, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

SAMUEL P. BALDWIN.

\Vitnesses:

JAs. H. CHURCHILL, MABEL RAY. 

